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2Sheets-Sheet1Q N. ARMSTRONCL'H G. ATKINS, 85 H. F. BROWN.

Smelting Furnace.

No. 228,852. Patented June 15,1880.

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2 222472 Mflm W I nests-sheen. N. "ARMSTRONG, E; C. ATKINS, '82; HI.BROWN.

' smelting Furnace. Nd. 228,852. Paten ted lune 15,1880.

' oawi? VIII/11111110101111!!!.v zfiwnfiiwi 2, wnlllllllllllmuh 64% flfm@457 UNITE STATES PATE T Orrrcne NOAH ARMSTRONG OF GLENDALE, MONTANATERRITORY, AND ELIAS O. ATKINS AND HORACE F. BROWN, OF INDIANAPOLIS,INDIANA.

SMELTlNG-FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 228,852, dated June 15,1880.

Application filed November 21, 1879.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that we, NOAH ARMSTRONG, ofGlendale, county of Beaver Head, Territory of Montana, and ELIAS C.ATKINS and HORACE F. BROWN, both of Indianapolis, county of Marion,State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSmelting and Refining Furnaces, of which the following is such a fulland exact description as will en- I0 able others to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which similarletters indicate corresponding parts in the different figures, and inwhich- Figure 1 is a vertical section of the furnace complete. Fig. 2 isan enlarged vertical section of the crucible and water-jacket. Fig. 3 isa horizontal section on the line 00 xof Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlargedview, in section, of one of the. inclined tuyeres.

This invention especially relates to that class of processes andapparatus used in reducing metalliferous ores to a metallic condition,and then refining the product before removal from the furnace byoxidizing all those portions of the metal which can be removed by theapplication of an air-blast so applied as to boil the molten metal inthe crucible, thus bringing it into intimate contact with the oxygen ofthe 0 air-blast, which, with the heat engendered in the process, quicklyoxidizes the base metals, such as lead and copper, that are mixed withthem ore stable metals, as gold and silver, which form the contents ofthe crucible of the fur- 3 5 naee, thus enabling thefurnace to deliverits product ina marketable condition without first going through theprocess of cupellation; and the in vention consists in the peculiarconstruction and arrangement of the different parts of 0 the furnace, aswill be hereinafter fully set forth, and then specifically stated in theclaim.

Inthe drawings, A shows the water-jacket, which is formed by two wallsor plates of sheet or cast metal, with the inner wall forming the 4 5fire-pot, the space between the walls to be filled with water, which isconstantly changed and renewed by means of the inlet 0 and theoverflow-pipes E. This water-jacket diflers from others in this, that itextends downward below the bottom of the crucible or sump in thefurnace, and in the angle of the; top at A, which is flared back in sucha manner that the outer wall is higher than the inner. In case sheetmetal is used the plate is flanged back at A to connect with the outerwall, and at A to connect with the lower plate below the offset.

As heretofore constructed, the top of the jacket has generallybeen madeat right angles to the walls, or on a horizontal line, and when 6Q thusmade of sheet metal a joint has necessarily been formed at A by lappingthe plates and riveting. The lap forms a double thickness of metal,which is eaten away by the intense heat until the outer lap is destroyedand the jacket rendered worthless. Air and steam bubbles also form inall the highest joints, forcing the water down to a level with thelowest point or overflow, leaving the jacket still further exposed wherethe lap-joints occur.

By our construction, as shown at A, there is no joint, and all air orsteam that may be formed in gathering to the highest point is carried tothe outer wall by the angle in the top, leaving a constant contact ofwater on the 7 5 inner wall. The overflow-pipe is placed in the top ofthe jacket, instead of in the side near the top, as heretofore, and atthe highest point, and so constructed as to carry the water severalinches above the top. This insures a perfectly full jacket, and theoverflow-pipes H be- .ing placed at short intervals around the entiretop of the jacket, a constant current of ascending water is drawn toevery part, insuring an equal temperature, and thus we venting cracks inthe metal.

In all water-jackets heretofore made and used, so far as our knowledgeextends, the jacket terminated at the point A. In sheetmetal jacketsthis brought a lap-joint at the 0 point of the most intense heat, and,in addition, the jacket was often ruined by sediment from the waterburning or caking on the metal, thereby preventing the water from comingin contact with the metal where most needed.

Our improvement in flanging the inner wall at A at such an angle that itwill not collect sediment from the water, and also form a backing tohold the lining O, avoids this difficulty and leaves but a singlethickness of metal at IQQ tion being preferable.

A, giving the best attainable effect to the water in keeping the jacketcool.

The outer and inner linings of the waterjacket are bent angularly at Ato allow aoontinuous flow of water, and have their offsets parallel witheach other, whereby the inclined tuyeres E are inserted perpendicular tothe offsets in the linings, (see Fig. 2,)and water-tight joints betweenthe tuyeres E and the jacket are more readily formed than when suchoffsets are not employed, and the tuyeres are inclined to the linings ofthe Water-jacket. By this construction of offsets in the water-jacketalso greater spaceis allowed for the fire-bricks forming the cruciblethan if the water-jacket were straight.

All sedimentary matter is deposited at the bottom below the heat, andcan be removed as necessary by means of hand-holes, plugs, orsluice-pipes in the ordinary manner. In all vertical joints in the innerwall the metal is flanged and riveted, as shown at 0 0 0. lhis bringsthe lap away from the heat.

The blast-chamber B may be secured to the outer wall of thewater-jacket, as shown, or may be an independent box with suitableconnections to the tuyeres, the former construc- The blast may beadmitted to the chamber at B, or in any manner most convenient.

From the chamber B the tuyeres D enter the furnace through thewater-jacket, as in any ordinary furnace of the waterjacket class. Fromthe lower portion of the chamber B the inclined tuyeres E pass downwardat an angle and enter the crucible or sump of the furnace at a pointbelow the surface of the molten bath.

The tuyere-pipes E are made of graphite or other highly-refractorymaterial, slightly tapering, and of a size to nearly fill the openingthrough the water-jacket.

In the outer wall of the blast-chamber an opening, E, is formed, soarranged as to be easily opened and closed.

To put the tuyere-pipes E in place, they are first luted with clay andthen passed through the opening E and pressed down to their properposition in the water-jacket. The luting of clay will form a tightjoint, and the taper of the tuyere-pipes or an enlarged head willprevent them from being forced down by the blast.

The crucible is formed by lining the lower portion of the water-jacketwith fire-brick or other refractory material, as shown at 0.

To prevent radiation of the hot blast, or the cooling of the same by thewater-jacket, the chamber B may be lined with any suitablenon-conducting material, as shown at I), Fig. 2.

The upper portion of the furnace may be constructed in the ordinarymanner, F being the stack, and G the charging-door, through which thefurnace is supplied with fuel and ore.

The operation of our improved furnace is as follows: For smelting, thelower tuyeres, E, are closed and the tuyeres D opened. The furnace isthen charged in the same manner as any ordinary furnace. When thecrucible is filled with molten metal the tuyeres D may be closed and thetuyeres E opened. The blast is turned on under sufficient pressure toforce the air through the molten metal. The baser metals-such asarsenic, antimony, lead, &c.will be rapidly oxidized and thrown off.When the refining process has been carried to the proper point therefined product may be drawn off at the outlet a, and the operationrepeated.

For reducing sulphureted ores, after the crucible is filled with metalunder the proper degrees of heat, the blast, being preferably heated, isturned through the tuyeres E. The combustion of the sulphur contained inthe metal will produce an intense heat, which will continue as long as afresh supply of sulphurets is added. As the metal accumulates in thecrucible it flows off through the siphon I), or may be drawn through theoutlet a. The slag is drawn off, as necessary, through the openings 0,as in an ordinary furnace. When the product flows off through the siphonthe operation can be made continuous, the product being desulphurized,and much of the baser portion being oxidized during the process ofreduction without the addition of fuel after the first charge.

To refine base bullion, the bullion can be melted in the furnace andtreated as described, or it may be melted in a furnace or hearthespecially fitted with the inclined tuyeres for the purpose of refining.

We do not claim, broadly, a waterjacket furnace as such, nor the processof refining metal by forcing air through a molten bath, nor thereduction of sulphureted ores by the process described but We do claimand wish to secure by Letters Patent The combination, with the metallicwaterjacket A, forming the fire-pot and extending continuously below thebottom of the furnace, with both its walls bent angnlarly and parallelwith each other to form the ofl'setA, of the tuyeres E, perpendicular tosaid offset, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

'NQAH ARMSTRONG. ELIAS o. ATKINS. HORACE r. BROWN.

Witnesses OHARLEs M. SHEPHERD, MERRITT POTTER.

